BOCA RATON, Fla. – Coming off a record setting season, the Florida Atlantic University men’s tennis saw four of the team’s nine players earn recognition among the 2022 Conference USA All-Conference teams, announced by C-USA on Wednesday.
Honoree selection is first based on an individual or doubles team national ranking. Once those slots are filled the league coaches vote upon the remaining honorees. Among those selected were FAU juniors Alvaro Fernandez Horta, Kevin Huempfner, and Hunter Robbins. The trio were joined by graduate senior Carles Sarrio.
Fernandez Horta and Huempfner were selected as second team singles honorees while the doubles team of Robbins and Sarrio received similar honors.
The quartet played an instrumental part of the Owls tallying an 18-6 dual match record, a .750 winning percentage which is the program’s best under head coach Ricardo Gonzalez, and a No. 47 national ranking in the latest poll. The Owls climbed as high as No. 35 during their season-opening stretch that included an 8-0 winning streak. The Owls finished 2022 a 7-0 mark at home.
2022 ACCOMPLISHMENTSJunior Kevin Huempfner
Huempfner led the Owls in wins with a 20-7 overall record, including a 14-4 dual match record splitting equal time between courts one and two. Of Huempfner’s 14 wins, he was 6-3 on court one and 8-1 on court two. The German ended his season on a two-match winning streak. Speaking of streaks, he opened the season on an eight-match winning streak (Jan. 15-March 7). While he only suffered four losses in the dual season, each was from the rackets of members from ranked teams, and three of the four were on court one. Big wins included a two-set win at West Point, and versus UTSA both playing No. 1, on court two, he recorded three big road match wins versus UNC-Wilmington, a three-set win, a win at No. 71 Liberty in two and he closed out the regular-season with a three-set win at South Alabama In his two-year FAU career, his record is 31-16, including 25-13 dual match record
Junior Alvaro Fernandez Horta
Fernandez Horta is a consistent performer who posted a 19-10 record, including a 14-5 dual match record. He was 12-5 on court three and had two late season wins on court two. Fernandez Horta, a native of Spain, tallied a seven-match winning streak between Feb. 20 and March 23 and four of his five dual match losses were three-set decisions. His big-road wins were versus Army West Point, USF, UC Santa Barbara (No. 56), UNC-Wilmington, Liberty (No. 71) and Tulane. Fernandez Horta’s big home wins included Georgia State and FGCU. He finished his 2022 campaign tied for the team’s lead with 14 wins. In his two-year FAU career, his record is 31-16, including 25-13 dual match record
Doubles Team of Graduate Senior Carles Sarrio and junior Hunter Robbins
The duo of Sarrio, from Spain, and Robbins, from Delray Beach, Florida, were 17-6 on the season, including 13-6 in dual-match doubles play. They split time between courts one (8-4) and two (5-2) and were hampered late in the season, due to an injury limiting opportunities. They were 1-2 versus ranked doubles duos, all on the road, with the win being versus ODU, in regular season play. They split matches at the C-USA Championships downing USM 6-1 and falling to Charlotte 6-3. They saw 17 of 19 matches factor into the doubles point, virtually setting the tone for the match.
NEXT UPThe Owls have completed the spring semester and most have returned home for the summer where they will continue to train and compete. Sarrio is the only player who has exhausted his collegiate eligibility.
FOLLOW ALONGTo follow the team socially, visit @faumtennis, or for the most up-to-date information go to www.fausports.com.
